Psychology 461 (002) – Introduction to Forensic Psychology
Psychology 461 (001) – Introduction to Forensic Psychology
Course Syllabus – Fall 2005
Mark Hastings, Ph.D., CSOTP
Phone: 703-737-8053 Class Location: David King 2053
Office: 2007 David King Hall Class schedule: Mon. 4:30 - 7:10pm
E-mail: mhasting@gmu.edu Office Hours: Mon. 3:30 – 4:30pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is intended for advanced undergraduate psychology majors who are interested in forensic psychology. The focus of this course will be to examine the relationship between psychology and the legal system. Particular emphasis will be given to specific psychological evaluations conducted for the criminal courts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Course readings, assignments, and class discussions facilitate the following goals:
• To survey the major areas of interest shared by psychology and law.
• To discuss some of the major ethical dilemmas faced by mental health professionals working with the legal system.
• To become familiar with different types of forensic psychological evaluations conducted in criminal cases.
• To become familiar with some of the landmark legal cases that impact forensic psychologists.
• To be introduced to various career opportunities in forensic psychology.
COURSE FORMAT
The format of this course is designed to be a combination of lecture and in-class discussion. Films/documentaries and professional work samples will also be utilized.
TEXT
Bartol, C. R. & Bartol, A. M. (2004). Introduction to forensic psychology. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Attendance and Participation: Class attendance is required and student participation is essential. Some class lectures will closely parallel information in the assigned readings. However, there will be many weeks where additional information, information not in the text, will be presented in class. Should you miss a class for any reason, it is your responsibility to arrange to obtain notes from another student in the class. The instructor will not provide notes for missed classes. Attendance (# of absences) will be graded as follows: A = 0-1, B = 2-3, C = 4-5, D = 6, F = 7+
Assigned Reading: Unless otherwise specified, all assigned readings should be completed prior to that week’s class.
Retention of Material: It is the responsibility of the student to retain an electronic copy of all work that has been handed into the instructor. It is also the responsibility of the student to retain returned papers and exams in case the student wishes to request that the course grade be corrected or to appeal a grade.
Late Assignments and Missed Presentations: Any case law summary that is not received by the beginning of the class on the day of the presentation is considered late. Penalties for lateness: one decrease in letter grade on the assignment per every day late. Case law summaries will not be accepted more than four days late from the due date and an F will be entered for the assignment. The penalty for not being present and participating in the team’s case law presentation will be a two letter grade deduction on the assignment. Late crossword assignments will not be accepted.
Missed Exams: You are strongly encouraged not to miss either of the exams. If it is essential for you to miss the test for any reason, a make-up examination will be given at the end of semester. It will be entirely essay and apt to be difficult. It will also be given at a time when you will want to be preparing for the final, so it is in your best interests to avoid the make up examination. If you are going to miss an exam, you are expected to contact the instructor prior to the exam to inform of your upcoming absence.
Honor Code: The Honor Code of George Mason University deals specifically with cheating and attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing. Students should be familiar with the code and connected policies (). The course will be conducted in accordance with those polices.
Accommodations for students with disabilities: It is the policy of the University to make reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me (immediately after class. Do not wait until the night before the exam to request accommodations) and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474. All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office. Such requests will be accommodated within the reasonable constraints of fairness and timeliness with regard to the instructor and the other students enrolled in the course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
Grades will be assigned as follows: 93-100 = A; 90-92 = A-; 87-89 = B+; 83-86 = B;
80-82 = B-; 77-79 = C+; 73-76 = C; 70-72=C-; 65-69 = D; below 65 = F.
Grades will be made up of:
Case law presentation and write-up - 20%
Crossword #1 - 10%
Midterm exam - 25%
Crossword #2 - 10%
Final exam - 25%
Attendance and participation - 10%
Exams: Exams will consist of a combination of multiple-choice, true-false, matching, and/or short answer questions. All material covered in the class, assigned readings, and case law summaries is fair game for exams.
Case Law Summary: Each student will be required to read one piece of case law in the original. He/She will be expected to write a 4-6 page summary of the case and give a 10-15 minute presentation to the class explaining the case. Students will work in teams of 2-3 for the presentation. However, the written summary should be completed independently and is due at the beginning of the class on the day of the presentation. The written summary and presentation should include: 1) the basic facts of the case, 2) what the court ruled, and 3) the significance and/or implications of the case. Cases will be assigned on the first day of class and can be found on reserve at the Johnson Center Library.
Forensic Crosswords: Specially constructed forensic psychology crossword puzzles will be distributed the week prior to the exam dates. The puzzles will contain course information that may be included on the exam and are designed to make studying for exams more enjoyable. Crosswords are due at the beginning of the class on the days of midterm and final exam.
Adding or Dropping the Class:
The last day to add this course to your schedule is September 13, 2005. Please be aware that I set the course enrollment (no more than 45 students) at the maximum I feel is appropriate for an advanced-level, undergraduate course and for the case law assignments. Thus, if you are on the wait list, you will only be added to the class if a currently enrolled student drops the course. In semesters past, no more than one student has typically dropped this course after the first week of class. The last day to drop this course from you schedule is September 30, 2005.
CLASS SCHEDULE & READINGS
Date Topics Reading
August 29 Introductions Chapter 1
Review of course objectives & syllabus
Case law assignments
The field of forensic psychology
September 5 LABOR DAY – NO CLASS
September 12 Overview of the legal system Chapter 9
Uneasy alliance between psychology and law
Ethical considerations
September 19 Police psychology Chapter 2
Video: Memphis PD: War on the Streets
September 26 Investigative psychology Chapter 3
Serial, mass, and other types of murder Chapter 5
Video: Murder in Mind (pp. 138-151)
October 3 Stalking & Malingering Chapter 5
Video: Bjork Stalker (pp.151-155)
Case presentation:
U.S v. Greer
October 11 Psychopathy Chapter 4
(*Tuesday class) Video: The Ice Man and the Psychiatrist
**Crossword #1 distributed
October 17 **MIDTERM EXAM**
**Due: Crossword #1
October 24 Competency to stand trial Chapter 10
Video: A Crime of Insanity
Case presentation:
Drope v. Missouri
Godinez v. Moran
Jackson v. Indiana
October 31 Other criminal competencies
Criminal responsibility
Case presentation:
Riggins v. Nevada
Sell v. U.S.
Singleton v. Norris
November 7 Criminal responsibility (cont.)
Death penalty
Video: Asylum
Case presentation:
Ring v. Arizona
Jones v. U.S.
Atkins v. Virginia
Roper v. Simmons
November 14 Sex offender evaluation Chapter 6
Risk assessment
Video: Sadistic versus Non-sadistic Sex Offenders
Case presentation:
Barefoot v. Estelle
Kansas v. Hendricks
Kansas v. Crane
November 21 Sex offender treatment Chapter 11
Civil commitment/involuntary treatment
Video: Sex Offender Treatment Group
November 28 Family violence, abuse, & victimization Chapter 8
Juvenile court
Video: Fatal Fathers
Case presentation:
In re Gault
December 5 Adult & juvenile correctional psychology Chapter 12
Video: TBA Chapter 13
**Crossword #2 distributed
December 12 **FINAL EXAM**
**Due: Crossword #2
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